“You can’t make this up”: Jake Tapper mocked over viral J6 pipe bomber Brian Cole “white man” description

CNN anchor Jake Tapper is being slammed online in wake of his comments on the DC pipe bomber suspect, Brian Cole Jr.’s arrest. Cole Jr., who planted explosive devices in front of the Democratic and Republican National Committees right before the January 6, 2021 riots at the US Capitol, was arrested by the FBI on December 4. It was a result of the renewed efforts of the Trump administration, said Attorney General Pam Bondi, as per The New York Post.

Tapper, while sharing news of Cole Jr.’s arrest on air on CNN, mistakenly called the suspect “a 30-year-old white man.”

Later, images of the suspect showed that Cole Jr. was in face a black male. In response to Tapper’s blunder, netizens are now taking to social media to mock the anchor.

In particular, netizens were appalled by the serious mistake in identifying a suspect correctly made by a prominent anchor of a renowned news network, and criticized both Tapper as well as CNN. Many shared their disbelief at the mistake.

While superimposing Cole Jr.’s image on the screen alongside the video of Tapper mistakenly calling his “white,” one netizen wrote on X,

“CNN’s Jake Tapper labels the J6 pipe bomber suspect Brian Cole a ’30 year old WHITE man.’ You can’t make this stuff up.”

CNN’s Jake Tapper labels the J6 pipe bomber suspect Brian Cole a “30 year old WHITE man.”

You can’t make this stuff up.
pic.twitter.com/BHSfoaH1Ln

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 5, 2025

Another netizen, while in shock and disbelief over Tapper’s comment, criticized mainstream media outlets for allegedly relying on “propaganda,” and wrote,

“Are you "F" kidding me! The mainstream media needs accountability, start finding them $$$ for the fake propaganda. Jake Tapper just called Brian Cole a 30-year-old “white man”.”

An internet user pointed to the Tapper’s error, and while targeting both Tapper and CNN, remarked,

“Jake Tapper and CNN strike again. Describing the suspect as white while he clearly is not from looking at the pictures.”

Netizens got creative with their jokes on Jake Tapper

One netizen posted images of the moon and that of the suspect, Brian Cole Jr. side by side, and while comparing them, poked fun at Tapper and wrote,

“The moon is so bright and white tonight. Everyone can see it but Jake Tapper. The moon is white. The pipe bomber is not.”

Another netizen took the opportunity to mock Tapper and his news coverage, and while ridiculing the anchor, said,

“Well tonight we learned that Jake Tapper is not only dumb, he’s also blind”

While slamming Tapper’s comment, a commentator questioned how Tapper could make a glaring anchor on national news, and asked,

“Is Jake Tapper blind or just obligated to read whatever he is given even if it’s blatantly wrong?”

Another netizen made fun of Tapper by posting a whitewashed image of Cole Jr. to X and writing,

“The picture CNN will use tonight to show Brian Cole Jr.”

The picture CNN will use tonight to show Brian Cole Jr.

😂🤣☠️💀 pic.twitter.com/VnrTw9dxzF

— Brenden Dilley (@WarlordDilley) December 4, 2025

As of the writing of this article, Tapper has not responded to the controversy generated after he mistakenly identified the DC pipe bomber as white.

Just days ago, Jake Tapper found himself in the centre of yet another row when he mockingly defended President Donald Trump when he could be seen napping in footage of the last Cabinet meeting of 2025, as per Daily Mail.

Tapper made comments, which were widely circulated on social media, about Trump’s age and his social media activity the previous night as reasons for dozing off during the meeting.